Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - From NZ to Fiji & Cook

We're planning a round the world-trip and are trying to get the route ready. We have received a suggestion from a travel agency but it's not perfect. The tricky part seems to be to go from Auckland to the islands in South pacific, preferably Fiji and Cook, and then continue to Panama City.

The current route is like this: From AUK to Nandi, Fiji. Then back to AUK, to fly to Rarotonga, Cook. Then we have to fly back to AUK again to fly through LAX and then continune to Panama City.

This does not seem like an ideal itinerary. So if anyone have suggestions on how we can make it easier, please reply!

It is not a must to go to Fiji, we are open for other suggestions that will make the route better.
If it is possible not to fly through LAX to get to Panama City, we are interested in knowing that as well.

Appreciate any help!

Regards,
Stina

Air Pacific flies from NAN to LAX and the flight is codeshared with QF and NZ. NZ also has a flight from RAR to LAX once a week (saturday), codeshared with UA.

So you should be able to do e.g. AKL-NAN-AKL-RAR-LAX or AKL-RAR-AKL-NAN-LAX with the right flights and dates. You may find out that returning to Auckland is cheaper, though..

We're planning a round the world-trip and are trying to get the route ready. We have received a suggestion from a travel agency but it's not perfect. The tricky part seems to be to go from Auckland to the islands in South pacific, preferably Fiji and Cook, and then continue to Panama City.

The current route is like this: From AUK to Nandi, Fiji. Then back to AUK, to fly to Rarotonga, Cook. Then we have to fly back to AUK again to fly through LAX and then continune to Panama City.

This does not seem like an ideal itinerary. So if anyone have suggestions on how we can make it easier, please reply!

It is not a must to go to Fiji, we are open for other suggestions that will make the route better.
If it is possible not to fly through LAX to get to Panama City, we are interested in knowing that as well.

Appreciate any help!

Regards,
Stina

Welcome to FT, stinas!

The reason for the strange routing your TA is suggesting is the type of RTW ticket you are using.

If you are planning to fly around the world, the people typically use the Star Alliance or the oneworld RTW tickets. If you use the Star Alliance one then you can (almost) only fly Star Alliance airlines, so in your case Air NZ. And if you want to use them between the Islands you will have to backtrack to AKL.

However, if you don't want to do this, then you might look at something like this:

Fly AKL-NAN. Then buy a separate ticket on Air Pacific NAN-RAR. From RAR you can continue with NZ directly to LAX if you take the once a week flight as ojala has recommended.

By the way, French Polynesia is much nicer than Fiji (but also a lot more expensive).

Fly AKL-NAN. Then buy a separate ticket on Air Pacific NAN-RAR. From RAR you can continue with NZ directly to LAX if you take the once a week flight as ojala has recommended.



One problem FJ doesn't fly from NAN-RAR

One problem FJ doesn't fly from NAN-RAR

Good point, I wasn't aware that the route was stopped. And it was actually never FJ on this route but NZ.

If RAR is important to the OP then I would really recommend going to PPT instead and then taking the flight to RAR from there.

As for avoiding LAX, the alternative is to fly via south america. Some options are AKL-SCL or PPT-IPC-SCL (this lets you see Easter Island, which is maybe the most unique place in the world -- much nicer than your current destinations) and then on to Panama. However via LAX is undoubtedly cheaper :)

Thanks everyone for your effort! :)
We looked at the option of flying directly from RAR to LAX but the price was so much higher. So we will take the extra time of flying back and forth instead.

Regards,
Stina

Thanks everyone for your effort! :)
We looked at the option of flying directly from RAR to LAX but the price was so much higher. So we will take the extra time of flying back and forth instead.

Regards,
Stina

If you have a RTW ticket then the price should be cheaper flying directly rather than backtracking as you don't need to pay the extra taxes. What RTW ticket are you using?

DUF - you are assuming the OP is on an alliance RTW ticket. They may well be on another type of RTW or even just a series of individual tickets.

DUF - you are assuming the OP is on an alliance RTW ticket. They may well be on another type of RTW or even just a series of individual tickets.

Exactly! This is why I am asking what ticket the OP is on.

We are going to use a number of individual tickets and will fly with Air New Zeeland to both Fiji and Cook, and then to LAX.

We are going to use a number of individual tickets and will fly with Air New Zeeland to both Fiji and Cook, and then to LAX.

Have you contemplated using a RTW ticket for this or is it cheaper to buy all those individual tickets?

RTW tickets are always cheaper (there are over 100 different RTW products, including many bilaterals with airlines in competing alliances -- quite surprising sometimes), however they tend to have routing restrictions particularly in doing things like visiting ROR and NAN and avoiding LAX. Also TA's make more commission selling individual tickets rather than RTW products, so most will advise you accordingly :)